Golf ball cleaning device



June 7, 1932. $|GNOR|N| 1,862,437

GOLF BALL CLEANING DEVICE Filed Dec. 5, 1928 STAT PAT FFIE LUIGI SIGNORINI, OF ROME, ITALY I GOLF BALL CLEANING DEVICE Application filed December 5, 1928.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in golf ball cleaning devices, the primary objects of the invention being the provision of a device which is highly elli- 5 cient in performing its intended functions,

is compact in size, and of simple construction, and which may be economically manufactured.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a device wherein the brushes or cleaning members can be readily replaced when worn and which contains but few operating parts, and can be easily operated.

Still other objects of the invention are to provide a cleaning device for golf balls and the like whereby a plurality of balls or similar objects can be cleaned simultz-meously and in a short period of time.

lVith these and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the device showing it attached to a suitable support.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of same.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken transversely through the center of the device.

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken longitudinally through the device.

Figure 5 is a side elevational View showing a modified form of support for said device.

In playing golf, the golf balls frequently become stained and soiled and requlre thorough cleaning before they are fit for use again.

My invention contemplates the provision of a device for cleaning the balls, which device is simple in operation and is self-contained so that no separate water containers are necessary and is eflicient in operation so it can be readily and easily operated.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing, indicates a boxshape housing provided with a hinged cover 11. The rear wall 10 of this housing is provided with inverted U-shaped brackets 12, the free ends of which have screwed therein clamping Serial No. 323,982.

members 1% by means of which said housing can be clamped in position on suitable supports, such as a stake 15. This stake is driven into the ground at suitable points on the links 7 and supports the housing at a convenient height from the ground.

A pair of circular brushes 16 and 17 are disposed in housing 10 adjacent to the front -wall 10 and rear wall 10, respectively. The

bristle sides 16* and 17 of the respective brushes are disposed in opposed spaced relation, the distance between saidbristles being less than the diameter of a ball so that when a ball is inserted therebetween it is gripped and held thereby.

Brush 17 is stationarily mounted, being fixed to the rear wall 10 preferably by screws 18 which are seated in said wall'and detachably engage the back 17 of said-brush. A hub or bushing 19 is fixed to brush 17 and extends inwardly a suitable distance to provide a bearing for one end-of a horizontally disposed shaft 20 which extends into said housing through an aperture 21 formed in the front wall 10 of housing 10. The outer end of said shaft carries a handle 22 by means of which said shaft can be conveniently operated.

The other brush 16 is loosely disposed in said housing and is mounted on said shaft by 3 means of a hub or bushingmember 24 which is fixed to the back 16 of brush 16. This bushing is detachably fixed to shaft 20 in any suitable manner, such as a cotter pin 25, which is seated in the coinciding apertures formed in said bushing and said shaft.

The brushes 16 and 17 are spaced a suitable distance from the bottom 10 of housing 10 and the lower portion of said housing is filled with water so that the lower portions of said on brushes are immersed therein. An overflow opening 26 is formed in one of the walls of the housing at a suitable height from the bottom 10 and maintains the appropriate level of the water in said container.

To clean a golf ball, the latter is inserted between the-brushes through the'upper end of the housing and the handle 22 is operated so as to actuate brush 16. The ball, due to the engagement of its surface with the bristle 100 sides 16 and 17 of the respective brushes, will be caused to travel in a circle around the axis of shaft 20 and at the same time its surface will be scrubbed or cleaned by the bristles of said brushes. During this travel the ball traverses the water which washes aWay the particles of dirt loosened by the action of the brushes. Only a few turns of the handle are required in normal cases to clean the golf ball properly. The brushes are sufiiciently large so that a series of golf balls can be cleaned at the same time without impairing the efficiency of the device. The purpose of spacing the bottom wall 10 from the brushes is to provide a sump for receiving sediment and loose earth washed away from the balls.

In order to prevent accidental disengagement or release of the golf balls from "the brushes, a guard 27 is provided. This guard is semi-circular in shape and encloses the lower halves of the brushes and has its up per ends spaced from the brushes and presented upwardly so as to allow insertion of the balls in position. The lower portion of this guard is preferably perforated indi cated at 28 in order to allow particles of dirt to drop therethrough to the bottom of the container. This guard is secured in position in the container in any suitable manner, such as attaching means 29, which, in the present instance, are in the form of rivets attaching the guard to the end walls of the housing at points disposed substantially in a horizontal plane of the axis of shaft 20. The cover 11 is preferably attached to the housing by means of hinges 30 and a spring 31 is used to hold the cover closed. The parts are preferably made of aluminum or other material which is not affected y water.

In the modified form shown in Figure 5, a housing 32 is secured in position by means of a socket member 83 which is secured. to the rear wall thereof and. adapted to receive the reduced end of a stake 34.

The arrangement of two brushes in cooperative relation so as to grip the ball therebetween and the operation of one of said brushes relatively to the other, causes the ball to be moved about the common axis of said brushes and subjects the surface of said ball to the scrubbing action of said brushes.

The shaft 20 when disengaged from hub 24 is readily removable from the container. lVhen the shaft is in position it is limited against undue inward movement by the rear wall 10 against which the inner end of said shaft impinges and it is held against withdrawal from the container by brush 17 which is fixed thereon by cotter pin 25.

Primarily my device is intended for use in washing golf balls, but it is equally as Well adapted to be used in operating upon other objects of substantially similar shape.

It is obvious that the device herein disclosed and the various parts are susceptible of changes, modifications and variations, not referred to herein specifically, and I contemplate such changes and variations as fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A golf ball cleaning device, comprising a water container, a pair of vertically disposed circular brushes, one of which is movable relatively to the other, the bristle sides of said brushes being arranged in opposed relation and spaced from each other less than the diameter of a golf ball so as to receive therebetween a golf ball to be cleaned, means for actuating said movable brush thereby causing said golf ball to be acted upon by said brushes during its travel about the axes thereof, and a guard for encircling the lower parts of said brushes to prevent accidental disengagement of the golf ball therefrom, said guard being open on top.

2. A golf ball cleaning device comprising in combination an open-ended water containcr, a pair of opposed coaxial disk brushes disposed vertically in said container, said brushes being so spaced from each other that the opposed bristle sides thereof are spaced apart slightly less than the diameter of a golf ball to be cleaned, whereby when the latter is passed therebetween it is engaged by the bristles of the opposed brushes, means for attaching one of said brushes to one of the side walls of said container, a bearing arranged adjacent to the other side wall of said container and having fixed thereto the other brush, a shaft revolubly mounted in said container coaxially with said brushes and having one end projecting outwardly from said container, means for securing the bearing of the movable brush to said shaft, a handle fixed to the projecting end of said shaft, and a semi-cylindrical plate fixed to said container and disposed in the lower part thereof to enclose the bristles of the lower halves of said brushes and close the space therebetween and prevent displacement of the golf balls While held by said brushes.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature this 2nd day of August, 1928,

LUIGI SIGNORINI. 

